U.S. patent number 4,572,216 [Application Number 06/564,625] was granted by the patent office on 1986-02-25 for apparatus for filling cigarette papers with tobacco.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Harting Elektronik GmbH. Invention is credited to Horst Josuttis, Ralf Meierkord, Hans-Jurgen Welsch.
United States Patent |
4,572,216 |
Josuttis , et al. |
February 25, 1986 |
Apparatus for filling cigarette papers with tobacco
Abstract
Apparatus for manufacturing cigarettes includes a tobacco hopper
having a lower aperture, a dispensing device receiving tobacco from
the aperture and dispensing the tobacco, a tobacco supply chamber
disposed below the hopper to receive tobacco from the dispensing
device, conveyor spindle means in the tobacco supply chamber for
forming tobacco into a strand, an outlet on the tobacco supply
chamber for the lateral discharge of the strand of tobacco, and a
cigarette paper shell filling tube disposed adjacent to the outlet
to receive therefrom the strand of tobacco to thereby form a
cigarette.
Inventors: |
Josuttis; Horst (Espelkamp,
DE), Meierkord; Ralf (Espelkamp, DE),
Welsch; Hans-Jurgen (Mannheim, DE) |
Assignee: |
Harting Elektronik GmbH
(Espelkamp, DE)
|
Family
ID: |
6181329 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/564,625 |
Filed: |
December 22, 1983 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 22, 1982 [DE] |
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3247370 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
131/70; 131/75;
131/74 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24C
5/42 (20130101); A24C 5/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A24C
5/42 (20060101); A24C 5/00 (20060101); A24C
5/02 (20060101); A24F 005/42 () |
Field of
Search: |
;131/70-76 |
Foreign Patent Documents
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0385540 |
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Dec 1923 |
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DE2 |
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0196635 |
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Mar 1938 |
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CH |
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Primary Examiner: Millin; Vincent
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Jordan and Hamburg
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for manufacturing cigarettes, comprising a tobacco
hopper having a lower aperture, dispensing means receiving tobacco
from said aperture and dispersing said tobacco, said dispensing
means comprising a rotatable knife shaft disposed in said aperture
of said hopper, a tobacco supply chamber disposed below said hopper
to receive tobacco from said dispensing means, conveyor means in
said tobacco supply chamber for forming tobacco into a strand, an
outlet on said tobacco supply chamber for the lateral discharge of
the said strand of tobacco, and a cigarette paper shell filling
tube disposed adjacent to said outlet to receive therefrom said
strand of tobacco to thereby form a cigarette.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said knife shaft has a
plurality of cutting edges.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said cutting edges are
arranged in a spiral.
4. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said cutting edges, as
seen along the knife shaft, are formed by curved longitudinal
grooves.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for
adjusting the width of said aperture.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which a cigarette shell
forming device containing a hollow shaping and centering device
provided with a feeder opening is disposed at the end of said
filling tube and in line therewith for the insertion of said
tobacco strand into said cigarette shell.
7. Apparatus for manufacturing cigarettes, comprising a tobacco
hopper having a lower aperture, dispensing means receiving tobacco
from said aperture and dispersing said tobacco, a tobacco supply
chamber disposed below said hopper to receive tobacco from said
dispensing means, conveyor means in said tobacco supply chamber for
forming tobacco into a strand, an outlet on said tobacco supply
chamber for the lateral discharge of the said strand of tobacco, a
cigarette paper shell filling tube disposed adjacent to said outlet
to receive therefrom said strand of tobacco to thereby form a
cigarette, and a cigarette paper shell forming device containing a
hollow slidably shaping and centering device provided with a feeder
opening disposed at the end of said filling tube and in line
therewith for the insertion of said tobacco strand into said
cigarette paper shell, said slidable shaping and centering device
consisting of a sleeve slidable over said filling tube and equipped
with an annular arrangement of spring tongues pointing along the
sleeve axis with the ends of said tongues converging to a location
in front of the end of said filling tube when said shell forming
device is not yet fully engaged with said filling tube.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said filling tube is
equipped with a contact pressure means.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising means for
adjusting the contact pressure of said contact pressure mean.
10. Apparatus for manufacturing cigarettes, comprising a tobacco
hopper having a lower aperture, dispensing means receiving tobacco
from said aperture and dispersing said tobacco, a tobacco supply
chamber disposed below said hopper to receive tobacco from said
dispensing means, conveyor means in said tobacco supply chamber for
forming tobacco into a strand, said conveyor means for forming a
tobacco strand and said dispensing means being driven through a
gear train by a single drive element, an outlet on said tobacco
supply chamber for the lateral discharge of the said strand of
tobacco, and a cigarette paper shell filling tube disposed adjacent
to said outlet to receive therefrom said strand of tobacco to
thereby form a cigarette.
11. Apparatus for manufacturing cigarettes, comprising a tobacco
hopper having a lower aperture, dispensing means receiving tobacco
from said aperture and dispersing said tobacco, a tobacco supply
chamber disposed below said hopper to receive tobacco from said
dispensing means, conveyor means in said tobacco supply chamber for
forming tobacco into a strand, an outlet on said tobacco supply
chamber for the lateral discharge of the said strand of tobacco, a
cigarette paper shell filling tube disposed adjacent to said outlet
to receive therefrom said strand of tobacco to thereby form a
cigarette, and a cigarette paper shell forming device containing a
hollow shaping and centering device provided with a feeder opening
disposed at the end of said filling tube and in line therewith for
the insertion of said tobacco strand into said cigarette paper
shell, said cigarette shells being supplied and cigarettes removed
from said filling tube by means of a sliding carriage.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which said cigarette shell
supporting element contains a recess with rounded contours.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12 in which said recess is slitted
at its bottom.
14. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the cigarette shells
are supported by two arms forming a trough.
15. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the cigarette shells
are fed automatically to said sliding carriage and the filled
cigarettes, after removal from said filling tube, are tapped at
their ends to reinsert any loose projecting tobacco fibers.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for filling prepared
cigarette papers, preferably filter-cigarette paper shells, with
cigarette tobacco.
With this type of apparatus it is necessary to form a skein or
strand from a fine-fibered tobacco supply and insert this into the
cigarette paper shell. The bulk tobacco which is initially in a
continuous form has to first be dispersed and then reformed into a
continuous thin strand or skein, in order to prevent the burning
tobacco from crumbling when the cigarette is smoked.
Manual cigarette filling devices are known, for example U.S. Pat.
No. 3,509,887, in which the tobacco supply is first corrected by
hand and then the amount needed for one cigarette inserted in an
elongated forming device. Subsequently, a contact pressure dish is
pressed onto the preformed tobacco strand and the tobacco pressed
together to form a round tobacco strand. By means of a manual lever
device the preformed tobacco strand is then pressed into a
cigarette paper shell which is positioned on a mounting device and
held by a contact pressure device.
However, in order to form a continuous tobacco strand in these
devices, it is necessary to exactly portion the amount of tobacco
supplied to the device and to manually preform the tobacco fibers
in a continuous fashion. When an insufficient amount of tobacco is
supplied or when the tobacco fibers of the strand are not
continuous, it often happens that the burning cigarette tip falls
off partially or wholly during smoking.
The resulting fire hazards and annoyances created by extinction of
a cigarette are well known and will therefore not be discussed. An
additional disadvantage of the known devices consists in the fact
that in order to manufacture cigarettes, several manual processes
have to be carried out, which makes the manufacture of a larger
number, for example the daily need of a smoker of optimally filled
cigarettes complicated and difficult.
It is therefore the object of this invention to avoid the
aforementioned disadvantages of known devices and to produce an
apparatus for filling tobacco into premanufactured cigarette paper
shells, which avoid manual portioning and dispersion of the tobacco
to be used and which allows a continuous, firmly connected strand
of tobacco to be formed and inserted into the cigarette paper
shell.
This object is accomplished by providing a funnel-shaped tobacco
hopper, a tobacco dispersion and dispensing device at its lower
aperture with an essentially funnel-shaped tobacco supply chamber
beneath the tobacco dispersion device, in the bottom of which a
tobacco strand forming device of the transport spindle type is
located, having a lateral outlet for the formed tobacco strand and
with a cigarette shell-receiving or filling tube arranged laterally
to the tobacco strand outlet.
One of the advantages of the invention is the fact that tobacco can
be transferred to the hopper from a bag or a box virtually without
manual pre-treatment, being automatically dispersed in the
apparatus and fed to a tobacco strand forming device in which a
firmly coherent tobacco strand is formed and automatically pushed
into a cigarette paper shell.
The drive of the apparatus preferably consists of a single :aotor
so that following the filling of the tobacco and the starting of
the motor, an optimally filled cigarette, ready to be smoked, is
eJected. Additional advantageous embodiments of the invention
provide for the automatic sequential manufacture of large numbers
of cigarettes.
Other features which are considered characteristic of the invention
are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described in relationship
to specific embodiments, it is nevertheless not intended to be
limited to the details shown, since various modifications and
structural changes may be made therein without departing from the
spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of
equivalents of the claims.
The construction and operation of the invention, however, together
with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best
understood from the following description of specific embodiments
when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for filling tobacco
into cigarette shells according to one embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 2 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in longitudinal
section.
FIG. 3 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken along the line
3--3 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a view of the pin shaft.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the stripping knife.
FIG. 6 is a view of the conveyor spring.
FIG. 7 is a view of the filing tube.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a modified apparatus for filling
tobacco into cigarette paper shells.
FIG. 9 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. 8 in longitudinal
section.
FIG. 10 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. 8 taken along the line
10--10 in FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a view of the dispersing and dispensing shaft.
FIG. 12 is a view of the dispersing and dispensing shaft taken
along the line 12--12 in FIG. 11.
FIG. 13 is a view of a two-part conveyor spring.
FIG. 14 is a view of a modified filling tube.
FIG. 15 is a view of the filling tube taken along the line 15--15
in FIG. 14.
FIG. 16 is a view of a cigarette shell template.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 for the filling of
tobacco into filter-cigarette paper shells has for clarity's sake
been shown without an outer housing, with only the parts which are
essential for the understanding of the invention having been
shown.
The invention mainly consists of a funnel-shaped supply or filling
hopper 1, a pin shaft 2, a tobacco supply chamber 3, a tobacco
strand forming device 4, and a filling tube 5.
A rod grate 6 is provided in the outlet area between the filling
hopper 1 and the tobacco chamber 3 and is formed by individual rods
7 separated from one another. A pin shaft 2 is arranged underneath
the rod grate 6 so that pins 8, upon rotation of the pin shaft,
successively pass through the spaces 9 of the rod grate, grasp the
tobacco in the filling hopper 1, transporting it through the slits
in the grate into the tobacco supply chamber 3. During this process
the tobacco, which is in continuous form, is separated so that
subsequently there is an amount of tobacco of fine-fibered
structure in the tobacco supply chamber 3.
Next to the pin shaft 2, a stripping knife 10 is arranged in the
tobacco supply chamber 3, having wedge-shaped slits 11 through
which the pins 8 of the pin shaft are moved when rotating,
stripping off tobacco fibers hanging from the pins 8. Tobacco
fibers, which were previously transported into the tobacco supply
chamber 3, are thus not conveyed back to the supply hopper 1. On
the bottom of tobacco supply chamber 3, which is formed as a funnel
tapering in a downward direction, the tobacco strand forming device
4 is disposed and consists essentially of a half-shell trough 12
and the therein rotatably mounted conveyor spring 13. Trough 12 and
the funnel walls 14 can be formed from a one-piece metal material.
Trough 12 is disposed closely adjacent to conveyor spring 13, and
the conveyor spring 13 rotates in the trough 12 which is open on
the top.
The tobacco supply chamber 3 has a lateral outlet 15 in its lower
area, in the extension of the tobacco strand forming device 4, with
the filling tube 5 being attached to the outlet. The end of the
conveyor transport spring 13 projects into the filling tube 5 and
terminates with its front edge 16. On the wall-side end of the
filling tube 5, a contact pressure device 17 is provided for the
cigarette paper shell 18, overlapping approximately 1/3 of the
cigarette shell pushed onto and disposed on the filling tube 5.
Furthermore, a cigarette paper shell forming device 16, adjacent to
the end 19 of the filling tube consists essentially of a form piece
with a cylindrical bore 20 and a conical supply opening 21, with
the bore diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the
cigarette paper shell. By means of this forming device, the
cigarette paper shells, which are to be pushed onto the filling
tube, which are often slightly deformed, i.e., not round but oval
because of the thinness of the material, can be brought into a
precise, round form, so that they can be pushed onto the filling
tube without effort or difficulty.
Pin shaft 2 and transport spring 13 are preferably driven by motor
22, with the pin shaft 2 being driven through a gear train 23 at a
turning speed which is preferably approximately 1.8 to 2 times
greater than the turning speed of the conveyor spring 13. In any
case, the two speeds are coordinated with each other so that a
sufficiency of tobacco is emptied into the supply chamber to be
seized by the conveyor spring, formed into a strand or skein and
conveyed or pushed into the cigarette shell.
When the device is started, a small quantity of tobacco can be
placed in the tobacco supply chamber 3 in order to insure that
there is sufficient tobacco to continuously form the tobacco strand
or skein without interruption as the first filling operation
begins.
The individual components of the cigarette filling device are
mounted on a common base plate 24 in the illustrated embodiment.
This arrangement should only be seen as an example of one
embodiment. Variations, within the framework of the invention, are
possible but will not be discussed further here.
The pin shaft 2 shown in FIG. 4 essentially consists of a round
shaft into which the pins 8 are mounted along a spiral path 25 so
that with rotation of the pin shaft, only one pin of the shaft is
located between the rods 7 of the rod grate 6, or in the respective
slit 11 of the stripping blade 10. Thus, a uniform seizing and
dispersion of the tobacco can be accomplished with low power
required to drive the pin shaft.
In FIG. 6, the conveyor spring 13 is illustrated with enlargement.
Its features, which are essential for forming a continuous tobacco
skein, will be subsequently explained. The conveyor spring 13 is
preferably made of a sharp-edged 4-edge material and has three main
sections, A, B, and C.
Section "A" is cylindrical and has a diameter of approximately 10
mm. This section, when the conveyor spring is inserted into the
device, is disposed in the semicircular trough 12 and it first
seizes the tobacco when the spring is rotated. The pitch S.sub.1 of
the spring coils in this section is approximately 5 mm. As a result
the tobacco fibers can easily pass through the coils to the
interior of the conveyor spring. The relatively coarse pitch and
large diameter prevent the formation of a hollow space between the
upper side of the conveyor spring and the tobacco supply above
it.
Section "B" forms the inlet zone into the filling tube 5. Here, the
spring diameter smoothly decreases from 10 mm to approximately 5
mm. The length of this section is around 10 mm. By this narrowing
and the rotation of the conveyor spring, the tobacco fibers, in
association with the filling tube geometry of this area
(conical-oval) are combined into a continuous strand or skein in
this section and compressed in diameter.
Section "C" is the section provided for the interior of the
cylindrical part of the filling tube. The spring diameter is
smaller here than in Section A, in the present example
approximately 5 mm. The pitch S.sub.2 of the spring coils is also
finer here, only 3 mm. The result thus achieved is that the tobacco
strand, only loosely formed in Section A and reduced in diameter in
Section B, is compressed longitudinally as well, so that a firm,
continuous tobacco strand is formed. It should also be mentioned
that in this embodiment the inner diameter of the filling tube is
approximately 7 mm, i.e., there is an air space of approximately 1
mm on all sides.
It should be mentioned in connection with the above measurements
that these relate to an embodiment in which cigarette papers are
used, which have a diameter of approximately 8 mm. However, the
invention is not so limited, but can be used, while maintaining the
basic principle, for other shell diameters as well, with the
indicated measurements merely having to be adjusted to other
dimensions.
The filling tube 5 shown in FIG. 7 consists of a thin-walled
material, for example stainless steel, brass, bronze or plastic.
The inlet 26 is conical-oval, while the body 27 is cylindrical.
The end 28 is conical-round. With the conical-oval shape of the
inlet, an uninterrupted supply of the tobacco strand into the
filling tube is made possible. The slightly conical end area 28
permits easy sliding or pushing of the cigarette shell onto the
filling tube itself. Furthermore, the conical shape of the end
results in additional compression of the exiting tobacco strand in
the interior of the filling tube as well, with an optimal flow and
uniform feeding of the tobacco skein.
The filling of a cigarette paper shell, i.e., the operation of the
device for filling cigarette tobacco into cigarette papers, will be
explained below. Initially, the cigarette tobacco, which is to be
processed, is transferred from a bag or supply box into filling
hopper 1. It is not necessary to crumble or pull the tobacco apart
into individual fibers, but, within certain limits, continuous
hanks can be filled as well. Subsequently, a filter cigarette paper
shell 18 is completely pushed or slid onto the filling tube 5. By
the paper shell forming device 19, through which the cigarette
shells are pushed, oval cigarette shells are formed into a precise,
round shape, so that they can be easily slid over the filling tube.
A contact pressure device 17 presses, when the cigarette paper
shell is in its end position, a front section of approximately 1/3
of the cigarette paper shell length against the filling tube and
clamps the shell into position. By means of a non-illustrated
adjustment device, this pressure can be adjusted, in order to
individually adjust the stuffing firmness of the cigarette, which
depends on the quality of the tobacco (structure, moisture, etc.).
Then the drive 22 is turned on. This can be done automatically by
suitable tracer or sensor devices when the cigarette paper shell is
fully in place and clamped, or by hand by a push button switch or
similar device.
With the starting of the motor 22, the pin shaft 2 rotates, as does
conveyor spring 13. By the rotating pin shaft, the tobacco present
in the supply container is seized and conveyed to the tobacco
supply chamber 3 through the rod grate 6. The tobacco is finely
dispersed reaching the supply chamber in the form of individual
fibers.
The tobacco fibers fall onto or into the conveyor spring and are
seized by this and brought into its inner space. The use of 4-edged
material or wire for the conveyor spring has proved particularly
advantageous, since the tobacco fibers can be more easily seized
and transported than by transport springs made of round wire.
By the pitch of the conveyor spring coils, the tobacco fibers are
twisted together in the inner space of the spring and transported
from Section A with a larger spring diameter into Section C with a
smaller spring diameter. As previously explained, the tobacco is
compressed and a firm, continuous tobacco strand formed. As soon as
the tobacco strand exits the filling tube, the end 28 thereof is
once more compressed by the conical shape of the filling tube at
this point, the tobacco strand presses against the filter end of
the cigarette paper shell. The tobacco presses into the cigarette
shell as the tobacco continues to emerge from the filling tube and
pushes the shell forward and off the filling tube. By the pressure
of pressure device 17, the tobacco in the first third of the
filling area is firmly pushed into the cigarette paper shell.
During the remaining filling procedure (i.e., remaining 2/3), the
special pressure of the cigarette paper shell on the filling tube
is no longer required, since it has been shown that the firmness of
the tobacco strand still emerging is sufficient for the firm
filling of the cigarette to remain satisfactory without additional
meausures. The described arrangement of the contact pressure device
has been shown to be particularly advantageous for arriving at a
uniform filling of the cigarette shell.
During continued filling of the cigarette paper shell, the shell is
eventually pushed off the filling tube until finally the completely
filled cigarette paper shell can be removed from the filling tube
end. By suitable tracer or sensor devices, which have not been
illustrated in detail, this moment can be registered and the drive
switched off. Subsequently, a new cigarette paper shell can be
pushed over the filling tube and filled in the same manner.
FIGS. 8, 9, 10 illustrate a device for filling cigarette tobacco
into cigarette shells in modified form, which will be explained
below. This device essentially consists of the funnel-shaped supply
of filling hopper 1', a tobacco supply chamber 3', a tobacco strand
forming device 4' and a filling tube 5'.
In a passage 29 between the hopper 1' and the tobacco supply
chamber 3', a knife shaft 30 is provided. The shaft has spirally
arranged cutting edges 31, as well as molded tobacco-reception
recesses 32 in the rotating direction of the shaft in front of the
cutting edges. The side walls 33 of the lower end of the filling
container in the area of the knife shaft are adjustably mounted on
the upper funnel wall so that the space between the knife shaft and
the side wall can be adjusted.
The tobacco supply chamber 3' has a rectangular, longitudinal space
34 in its lower area, which is open on the upper side and in which
the tobacco strand forming device 4' is located.
The tobacco strand forming device consists essentially of a
two-part spring arrangement (see also FIG. 13), with an outer
cylindrical spring 35 with large diameter and coarse pitch of the
coils in the interior of which an inner cylindrical spring 36 with
small diameter and finer pitch of the coils as well is located. The
inner diameter of the outer spring approximately corresponds to the
width of space 34 in which the spring is rotatably arranged, and
the length of the spring corresponds to the length of the space,
i.e., the width of the tobacco supply chamber. The inner spring 36
intersects the outer spring in its entire length and projects from
it on the filling tube side. The total length of the inner spring
is determined so that it corresponds with the front edge of the
filling tube 5' when the device is assembled. The diameter of this
inner spring corresponds to the inner diameter of the filling tube
so that it can be rotated in the filling tube with slight lateral
working action.
The springs 35 as well as the springs 36 are made of sharp-edged,
4-edge material, with the cross-section of the spring material of
the larger spring being preferably larger than the cross-section of
the spring material of the smaller spring. For example the outer
spring 35 may be made of square spring wire of a cross-section of
approximately 1.3 mm square and the inner spring 36 may be made of
square spring wire with a cross-section of approximately 1 mm
square.
Both springs are pressed onto lugs on the drive shaft 37, matching
their diameters, and fastened. On the opposite end it can be
provided that the larger spring is rotatably mounted on a
corresponding lug 38. Conveyor springs 35, 36 and the dispensing
shaft 30 are driven by a common drive device (for example, motor
22') through a gear train 23' in this embodiment as well.
As can be seen from FIGS. 14 and 15, the filling tube has a tapered
inlet area 26' as well, which, however, in this embodiment is
preferably rectangular and continuously joins the round,
cylindrical part of the filling tube. Furthermore, the filling tube
has longitudinal grooves 39 in its interior.
As mentioned above, the transport spring diameter of the part of
the conveyor spring extending into the filling tube is such that
the transport spring can be rotated in the filling tube with
lateral play. The grooves 39 in the interior wall of the filling
tube serve to improve the flow behavior of the tobacco strand being
conveyed. A slight conical beveling 28' of the filling tube end
facilitates the sliding of the cigarette paper shells onto the
filling tube.
In the embodiment according to FIG. 8, a carriage 40 is provided
which is arranged in a longitudinally movable fashion on a slide
bar 41. The carriage has a receptacle 42 with an end contact point
43 for the cigarette paper shells, in which the cigarette paper
shell is guided so that its axis is aligned with the axis of the
filling tube. The movement of the carriage in the direction of the
filling tube, for the purpose of sliding the cigarette paper shell
onto the filling tube is done either by hand or by a motor drive
which has not been illustrated in detail.
Furthermore, filling tube 5' has an essentially movable forming and
centering part 44, which has been illustrated as an individual part
in FIG. 16 and essentially consists of a ring-shaped guide sleeve
45 with the opening 46 being of a size so that the sleeve can be
easily pushed onto the filling tube. Thin, elastic tongues 47 are
mounted on the sleeve, which in the initial position of the forming
and centering part (with the part 44 pushed all the way forward,
the shell is still on the filling tube) spring together in a
conical point in front of the filling tube. A driving arrangement
48 for the forcible movement of the forming and centering part is
mechanically coupled to the carriage 40 and has spaced projections
49 and 50.
When the cigarette paper shell 18 slides onto the filling tube, the
carriage 40 with the cigarette paper shell is moved towards the
filling tube. The point formed by the elastic tongues of the
forming and centering part dips into the cigarette paper shell
opening and the projection 50 of the drive arrangement is attached
to the sleeve of the forming and centering part. During the
continued sliding, the cigarette paper shell and the forming and
centering part are simultaneously moved to the right (as seen in
FIGS. 8, 9). With continued sliding of the forming and centering
part onto the filling tube, the elastic tongues 47 open outwardly
by the penetration of the filling tube, and press the cigarette
paper shell opening, into which they dip, as already explained,
into a precise, round form. With further movement of the carriage,
the cigarette paper shell is slid onto the filling tube and the
forming and centering part pushed onto the right end position as
well. The ends of the elastic tongues are located in the front
portion of the cigarette paper shell, between the shell and the
filling tube. The elastic tongue ends are extremely thin and their
shape is adjusted to the rounding of the cigarette paper shell or
the filling tube. In order to avoid an excessive expansion and
possible tearing of the paper shell, the filling tube can have
deepened outer longitudinal grooves into which the tongue ends dip
when sliding onto the filling tube.
When the cigarette shell has slid completely over the filling tube,
the drive of the tobacco strand forming device 4' is switched on
and the tobacco strand exiting the filling tube enters the
cigarette paper shell. With continued filling of the cigarette
paper shell, the shell is eventually slid off the filling tube with
the carriage 40 beihg pushed at the same time. When contact point
49 touches shell 44, the forming and centering part is moved in the
direction of the end of the filling tube as well. The carriage is
provided with an adjustable spring brake 51 which works on the
slide bar with the adjustable brake power making it possible to
individually adjust the firmness of the tobacco filled into the
cigarette paper shell.
As soon as the cigarette paper shell has been completely filled and
completely slid off the filling tube, the drive of the tobacco
strand forming device is switched off and within a short time
reversed to be driven in the opposite direction. By the reverse
rotation of the conveyor spring 36, the tobacco strand is twisted
off at the filling tube end and separated from the cigarette
filling. It has been shown that a minimal or slight projection of
the conveyor spring 36 past the filling tube end improves the
separation of the tobacco strand. A cigarette, ready to be smoked,
is the result and the front end of the cigarette is then tapped by
a magnetically operated tapping device, in order to knock any
projecting tobacco fibers into place. After the cigarette has been
removed from the guide carriage 40, an empty cigarette paper shell
can be placed onto the carriage to be filled in the same
manner.
Although the feeding of empty cigarette paper shells and the
removal of finished cigarettes can be manual, it is mentioned for
the sake of completeness, that a supply device for the automatic
feeding of cigarette paper shells from a supply on the transport
carriage can be provided, as well as automatic removal of finished
cigarettes from the carriage in a collection container, with the
drive of these supply and removal devices being in the form of a
drive connection from drive motor 22, 22' or by means of a separate
motor and with the individual processes being controlled by
registering the various operating conditions by suitable tracer or
sensor devices (microswitches, photosensors, etc.) and with
electrical linkage and guidance.
* * * * *